Battery Technology Gets Boost

Battery technology gets a boost

Various new methods of charging lithium-ion batteries have emerged, enabling them to be powered an order of magnitude faster and lasting over ten times as long. One such technology involves a chemical oxidation process that creates miniscule holes (10 to 20 nanometres) between layers of graphene. This provides lithium ions with a shortcut to the anode. Energy density is boosted by inserting clusters of silicon between each graphene slice, which allows more ions to gather at the electrode. By 2015, the process is used in many consumer electronics. Mobile phones can now be charged from empty in under 15 minutes, with a single charge lasting up to a week. This technology also paves the way for smaller and more efficient batteries for electric cars.